Korra
by hotapplestrider
Summary: "So many lives were destroyed that night. What had always been was now gone, forever. And Korra, my sweet, dear Korra…I never saw her again." The incredible tale of how a one-time orphan departs on a journey to find the family she's longed for her entire life and to realize a destiny that she never could have dreamed she had. Based off of the movie "Anastasia" CHAPTER 1 EDITED
1. Prologue

**A/N: Okay. So. This is my first fanfiction in a good number of years. Specifically, this is also my first ATLA/LoK fanfiction in a VERY good number of years. I have recently re-watched the entire series of ATLA and triple-marathoned LoK and oh my goodness gracious, I have forgotten how in love I was with that series. So naturally, all of my unfiltered feels had to be channeled into something productive, ie fanfics.**

**Also, I have recently watched one of my all-time favorite childhood movies again, the 1997 animated feature "Anastasia". So naturally being all hyped up on LoK, I drew obscene parallels in my head and decided to take a stab at creating a fanfic with a similar plot. And thus, **_**Korra **_**was born. I truly hope that you all enjoy this!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own. Can't own. Want to own. Damn.**

* * *

**Chapter One**

_**Prologue**_

* * *

There was a time not very long ago, where we lived in an enchanted world of overwhelming prosperity and extraordinary powers.

My husband, Aang, had been the Avatar; a spiritual leader who had the power to control all four of the elements. When I was fourteen, I had found him in an iceberg with my elder brother, Sokka. Little did we know that finding him would forever entwine our destinies, spiriting my brother and I away on an incredible adventure to end the hundred-year war that the Fire Nation had plagued upon our world. He had defeated the evil Fire Lord Ozai, and the world was safe once again.

Soon after my dear husband had passed away, the Avatar cycle had repeated itself in the land of my birth, the Southern Water Tribe. A baby was born, and her name was Korra.

Soon after discovering her parents and confirming the birthright of the child, we had taken her and her family into the Order of the White Lotus. The Order was a secret society bent on protecting the Avatar and overseeing the peace of the world. Before Aang had died, he had charged the Order with the duty of locating the next Avatar and training them. We served our duty tirelessly, scouring both the Northern and Southern Water Tribes until we found her.

For most of the year, we had kept Korra in the Southern Water Tribe in a compound built by the Order where we could teach her all she needed to know about reaching the incredible power that she had possessed. I had taken the duty of teaching her waterbending, her first and most natural element. My son, Tenzin, was to teach her the ways of airbending.

For over five years, we lived together in the compound. Life was peaceful, life was prosperous, and life was wonderful.

That is, until that fateful night that even with ten years passing still haunts me in my sleep.

* * *

It was the 60th anniversary of the defeat of Fire Lord Ozai, and my family as well as Avatar Korra was invited to the Fire Nation by Fire Lord Zuko to celebrate. While enemies in our early youth, throughout the years he had grown to be my dearest friend and confidant. So it was with much excitement that we left the shimmering, crystalline city of the South to travel to the magnificent city of Caldera.

Thousands of people flooded the imperial city to celebrate not only the anniversary of the end of the war, but also the first appearance of the new Avatar to the rest of the world. We figured that since Zuko's Diamond Jubilee was only a few years away from her birth, we could wait to let the world meet Korra. Since her birth was announced eight years prior, the entire world had become anxious to behold the new face of the Avatar.

So with the world looking on, Zuko announced from a balcony high atop the city that the hope of the world, the Avatar, was finally here. The entire city had fallen silent as he stepped to the side, bowing as Korra made her way to the front. The only sound that could be heard was the echo of her small shoes on the marble floors. A collective gasp was heard as she looked down upon the people. The silence pressed on as they waited to hear her voice. After a pause that seemed to last a lifetime, a wide grin sprawled across her tiny face.

"_I'm the Avatar!"_ She shouted, throwing her tiny fist in the air. _"And you gotta deal with it!"_

The sound of the applause was deafening.

* * *

After Korra's display, the celebration roared to life. Outside the palace walls, the streets were congested with laughter and song, lanterns lining the buildings and fireworks crackling in the warm night air. Inside, the palace was alive with music and chatter.

The grand ballroom was brightly lit, making the gold on the walls and ceilings glitter like stars. Elegant silks of red, blue, green and yellow were draped from the cathedral ceiling to represent the four nations of the world, all meeting in the center of the room and uniting at the magnificent crystal chandelier. Dignitaries and close friends alike from every corner of the world were dancing the night away in the large room, every person radiating joy. However, no one seemed to glow brighter than my sweet Korra.

I was sitting upon one of the raised thrones in order to look at everyone in the room. I spotted Korra being thrown in the air by Tenzin, her polar bear pup Naga yipping happily by his feet. As she flew in the air, he'd send a small gust towards her to keep her levitated. She squealed as she came tumbling down into his arms, only to be thrown back in the air again. Around the third time, she managed to spot me.

"_Katara!"_ She exclaimed, wiggling free from Tenzin's hold. Hurriedly, she wiggled her way past the throng of moving people and rushed up the stairs towards me with Naga fast on her heels. I giggled as her small arms encircled my neck. I warmly returned the embrace. She pulled back, her azure eyes shimmering with excitement. "_Where did you go? I couldn't find you!"_

I couldn't help but chuckle as her small face twisted into an exaggerated pout. I took a hold of her small hands, amazed by how much of Aang I could see in her.

"_I'm sorry,"_ I had said. _"I had just forgotten something in my room and had to go retrieve it."_ My answer did little to satisfy the young Avatar.

"_What was so important?"_ Korra asked. I decided that now would be the perfect time to give my presents to her. Giving her small hands a firm squeeze, I continued.

"_Korra, I have something important to tell you, and you're going to have to be a big girl, okay?"_ Korra pouted, but nodded her head all the same.

As Korra braced herself for whatever news I was about to bestow upon her, I saw Naga staring over at the buffet table. Her small tail was wagging excitedly, so I followed her line of sight. After a moment I could see a small servant boy wearing a red scarf attempt to steal some food from one of the buffet tables. An older man, one of the head servants, had grabbed hold of him and dragged him back to the kitchens, scolding him the entire way. Naga let out a small whimper as the boy was dragged away. I looked after the boy, lifting a brow curiously.

"_Katara?"_

My attention was brought back to the small girl in front of me. I shook my head and giggled softly, apologizing. It was hard when one grew old to keep your attention on anything for long. I turned my full attention back to her before continuing.

"_As I said, I have something important to tell you. Now please understand that this will be very difficult for me as well, but it has to be done." _With a deep sigh, I told her the truth. "_I have to travel to Republic City for a while to take care of some grown up things."_

Korra's eyes instantly began to water. "_No!" _She said sternly, stomping her little foot. "_I don't want you to go! I'll miss you too much!"_ I frowned, my heart aching at the thought of separation.

"_I know, Korra. I will miss you terribly as well, my child. Which is why I wanted to give you a present, to make the separation a little easier for the both of us."_ Reaching into my dress robes, I pulled out one of my most prized possessions. I held it up to Korra, letting her take it in her small hands to examine it.

"_What is it?" _She asked curiously. I smiled.

"_It's a flying bison whistle. It belonged to my husband, Aang. All he ever had to do was blow this whistle and no matter where we were, his flying bison Appa would always find us. It's one of my most special treasures."_

Korra's eyes widened in wonder as she gazed down at the beat-up old whistle. She cradled it gently in her hands, turning it over and examining it carefully before she held it to her lips and gave a firm blow. Just like when Aang blew it, no audible sound came out. It made me smile as I remembered when he had first purchased it. Korra pulled it away after three attempts, staring at it quizzically.

"_It doesn't work." _She stated with frustration. "_It's broked."_

I laughed before I corrected her. "_It's not broken, dear child. I promise."_

"_But it don't make any sound!"_ She countered. _"How is a whistle not broked if it don't make any sound?"_ I gave a light chuckle again.

"_Sweet Korra,"_ I said, raising a hand up to brush some of her soft chestnut hair from her eyes. "_Just because you can't hear it, doesn't mean it isn't there."_ I could tell from the confused look on her face that the child was lost in my metaphor. _"You see, Korra, this is a very special whistle that not many can hear. Just because you cannot hear the sound does not mean that the sound is not there. Just like when I will be far away. Even though you won't be able to hear me say how much I love you, it does not mean that I will love you any less."_

"_Oh," _Korra said, a small smile growing on her pretty face as she worked out my words. _"So even though I won't see you, you'll still be with me!"_

"_Exactly." _I said, smiling. I gave her hand a gentle squeeze as I rested my hand against her cheek. "_And whenever you find yourself missing me, just give that whistle a blow and know that I will always find my way back to you."_

Korra's smile brightened, giving the whistle a happy blow. I smiled, watching her. She reminded me so much of Aang sometimes that it made my heart ache, but I think that's what made me love her so much to begin with.

"_Now Korra, I have one more present for you."_ Her eyes lit up.

"_Another present?" _She gasped, practically bouncing in place. _"What is it?"_

"_Close your eyes,"_ I smiled. Doing as she was told, Korra obediently closed her azure eyes. I reached around her thin neck and adjusted the knot before telling her to open them again. When she did, she gave a small gasp of awe.

"_A necklace? For me?" _She said, taking the smooth blue stone between her fingers. She began to trace the intricately carved pattern of the pendant. "_It's so pretty!"_ Korra exclaimed in awe. I smiled.

"_That necklace once belonged to my mother, Kya. I've had it ever since I was about your age. My father had carved it for her as her betrothal gift. It's very, very special to me. And now, I'd like to pass it down to you."_

Korra embraced me again. "_I love it,"_ She whispered into my hair. "_Thank you." _ My eyes began to water as I returned the embrace.

"_I'll always be with you, my dear Korra."_

The celebration lasted throughout much of the night. Watching all of those people laugh like they had no care in the world, it almost made me forget that at one time this sight would have been nothing more than an outlandish dream. Seeing this joy, this happiness, this _peace_ made my heart overflow with pride and gratitude. Something this joyous seemed like nothing could ever destroy it.

I was horribly, terrifyingly wrong.

* * *

Just past midnight, the doors swung open and a chilling breeze rushed through the room. The lights died, and suddenly the room was basked in an unsettling darkness. It became unnaturally cold for this time of year; it had sent a shiver of dread down my spine. Everyone's heads twisted to the open doors, curious to see what had brought such an unwelcomed sense of despair. My blood turned to ice as I heard footsteps echo on the polished marble.

The massive crowd seemed to part like a sea as a dark figure in a black cloak slowly approached us. Korra let out a small whimper beside me, and I pulled her close into my side. I narrowed my eyes as Naga let out a low growl.

Tenzin was the first to speak.

"_What is the meaning of this?"_ He demanded, thrusting a finger at the shadow-clad invader.

The figure let out a deep-throated chuckle, pulling down his hood. A collective gasp echoed throughout the room as the man's face came in to view. I snarled from my seat.

"_Noatak."_

The man's piercing blue eyes found mine. His laughter was filled with malice, not amusement. He gave an exaggerated bow.

"_Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. What a pleasure it is to see you again." _His snakelike eyes slid from me to Korra, who was trembling beside me. She shook as his gaze fell upon her. "_My, and the new Avatar, too. What a pretty little thing."_ I felt Korra trembling beside me as she let out a pained whimper. I squeezed her tightly, pushing her more behind me.

"_What business do you have here, Noatak?" _I snarled.

"_Business?"_ He said, his tone dripping with venom. He waved his arms exaggeratedly, gesturing around the room. "_I thought this was a party. Pray tell, why ever was I not invited?"_

"_You were banished, Noatak!" _Tenzin sneered, waving his hand. "_You are not welcome here! Leave at once!"_

Noatak shrugged, his face calm and composed. He had a smooth smirk on his face, but his eyes were boiling over with hatred. _"Not welcomed here? It seems like I'm just not welcomed anywhere, these days."_

Tenzin clenched his jaw in fury. "_Traitors are not welcome among the honest."_

"_Traitor?" _Noatak spat. "_I was a prodigy! You took everything from me!"_

"_You were a criminal!"_ Tenzin roared. _"You used your bending for unspeakable evils! You deserve everything you have received!"_

"_Do I?" _Noatak shouted, his cool composure cracking. "_You know nothing of the horrors that I have had to endure! You deserve to feel my pain!"_ His crazed eyes locked on Korra, and I felt an instant sense of panic rise within me.

In one fluid movement, Noatak had summoned every drop of liquid in the room to do his bidding, freezing them into razor-sharp icicles. Many, including Tenzin, rushed forwards to apprehend him before he could harm Korra. But with one look, the entire room had been stopped dead in their tracks. Their bodies were levitating as if suspended from puppet strings, their limbs twisted into painful and unnatural positions.

I felt the familiar sense of my blood pulsing painfully through my veins, all control of my body lost. Korra stood beside me, terrified and sobbing as she stared at the icicles that were aimed to kill her.

"_No one shall stand in my way!" _Noatak roared, "_If I have to suffer, then the world shall suffer with me!"_ All at once, the icicles flew threw the air like arrows, their lethal tips all aimed at Korra. A sense of rage flew through me as I heard her scream. Just as the icicles were about to impale her, they fell to the ground with a large splash. She looked over towards me.

In my rage, I had broken free from Noatak's bloodbending control and had broken my own law. I had my hands raised in the air, my eyes searing as I watched Noatak's body writhe and convulse under my control. With each twitch of my finger his body would contort itself into a new, painful way. His concentration was broken and the rest of the people were freed.

"_You will not touch her,"_ I hissed, trying to keep myself from trembling with rage. I curled my right index finger and he began to gasp for air. "_I should end you now."_ I could not decide whether the look in his eyes was fear or fury. Suddenly, I heard Korra whimper from behind me and my sense returned. "_However, that is not what my husband would have wanted."_ I uncurled my finger and he took in a loud breath. _"He always believed that the world would give the evil what they deserved. So prepare yourself for the worst."_ With that, I released my hold on him and he fell to the floor, gasping for air.

He stood up, trembling violently as he regained control of his muscles. He raised a shaky finger at me. _"We'll see who should be prepared!" _Noatak stammered, his previous rage returning. His snarl twisted into a demented grin that seemed to somehow frighten me more than his anger. _"You'll be sadly mistaken if you believe that this is the last that you will see of me. Mark my words, you and all those you hold dear will __**die,**__ within a fortnight!"_

Panic resounded throughout the room. Zuko, who had rushed up to see if we were all right, pointed at Noatak. "_Guards!" _He bellowed. "_Seize that man at once!"_

As the guards flooded the room, Noatak threw down a few pellets, encasing the room in a thick cloud of smoke. All that could be heard was his haunting laughter echoing from seemingly everywhere in the room. Tenzin quickly blew the smoke away, but by the time the room cleared we were too late.

Noatak was gone.

* * *

Consumed by his hatred for us, Noatak had concealed his identity under the guise of a masked figure named Amon. With his newfound persona, he fanned the small spark of unrest in the Fire Nation into a powerful flame that would soon destroy our lives forever.

True to his curse, the Equalist party, a group of non-benders who wished to see the eradication of all benders, stormed Caldera and set the city ablaze. Chaos and panic was everywhere. Nobody was safe.

The rally had broken through the palace walls, and Zuko had ordered a mandatory evacuation. Hundreds of people ran up and down the palace hallways, quickly gathering their things in a desperate attempt to flee the massacre.

I held Korra's hand tightly as we ran through the corridors hurriedly, the guard's echoing shouts of _'Hurry! Children!' _and the cries of panicked people ringing in my ears. My heart was beating wildly in my chest, panic clawing at my insides as the glow of the fires outside casted macabre shadows on the palace walls.

"_Hurry, Korra!" _I urged, tugging at her had. Suddenly, I heard her gasp.

"_My bison whistle!" _She cried, tugging her hand free as she ran back down the hallway. Panic flooded me as I saw her run from me.

"_Korra!"_ I shouted, trying desperately to catch up to her as I dodged the fleeing bodies. Naga ran beside me, whimpering and barking as if to help me beckon her master back. "_Korra, come back!"_

I chased her all the way back to her room, where I found her searching frantically for something in her dollhouse. I slammed the door shut behind us, pressing my back tightly against it in fear. Suddenly, I heard a loud crash resound from somewhere in the palace and terror overcame me. We were running out of time.

"_Korra!"_ I cried, rushing towards her. Suddenly, I felt a swift tug on my sleeve. I whirled my head around to see the same small servant boy from the party, the one with the red scarf, pulling me towards the wall.

"_This way! This way!" _He shouted hurriedly, pushing both Korra and I to a small panel where the wall seemed to open. _"Out the servant's quarters!"_ I pushed Korra through the doorway before me.

"_Hurry, Korra! Hurry! Noatak!"_

As we passed through the doorway, Korra dropped her whistle on the ground.

"_My whistle!" _She wailed, trying desperately to get it back. More crashes were heard outside, closer this time, accompanied by shouting voices. The boy pushed her back through the doorway.

"_There's no time! Go! Go!"_

It was no longer than a few seconds after the boy had slammed the panel shut did we hear the soldiers burst into the room, demanding where we were.

* * *

We had no time to waste. We rushed through the chaotic streets to get to the harbor where we would take a boat to safety. Korra was crying because Naga had been lost amongst the chaos and I had refused to stop to find her. One thing that I knew from experience was that the spirit animal of the Avatar would always find its way back.

A sudden feeling of relief washed over me as the docks came in to view in the distance. We were going to make it. However, as we were about to make it to the docks, Noatak had leapt from one of the rooftops, snatching Korra's arm. She fell backwards, stumbling at her abrupt halt.

"_Try all you like to escape, Avatar. You'll never be safe."_ Noatak hissed, tugging her towards him. Korra was screaming, trying to fight him off.

"_Korra!" _I screamed. Before I could react, however, a man in a dark brown jumpsuit leapt off of the roof and struck me with some electric baton. I hollered in pain, stumbling to the ground as my limbs twitched from the intense shock. I couldn't move. I watched in horror as Noatak held Korra down with his bloodbending.

"_Let me go!" _She shrieked, trying desperately to break free from his hold. He twisted her arms around in a grotesque fashion, making her give a scream that to this day still haunts my nightmares. Her tears flooded down her cheeks as Amon cackled, placing one thumb on her forehead and one on her heart.

"_I'll let you go when your bending is good and gone. Once the world sees that I, Amon, was able to strip the Avatar of her bending, nobody will ever dare oppose me again."_

My eyes widened in pure terror as Korra began screaming, trying as hard as she could to get away from him.

"_No!"_ I wailed, trying to get to my feet. The effects of the electrical shock still made my movements jerky and uncoordinated. _"You can't!"_ As soon as I was able to raise my hand, the soldier who had come to Amon's aid had given a few quick jabs into my arm and back. I began to shake as I felt the familiar sensation of my chi being violently cut off. I was helpless. I could do nothing but watch as Korra's bending was ripped from her.

"_Thank you, Lieutenant. Finally," _Amon said, pressing down harshly onto Korra's forehead and chest. She let out a wail so pained that I felt as if the air had been sucked from my lungs. _"Avatar Korra is—"_

Suddenly, Amon gave a painful cry. I looked down to see that Naga had indeed found her way back, and had taken it upon herself to embed her razor-sharp teeth into his leg. Distracted, his blood hold on Korra had been released. She fell to the ground, sobbing. I made my way over to her as quickly as I could; the shock's effects were finally wearing off.

"_Korra,_" I said, holding her face. She was shaking, her eyes wide and empty as she looked up at me. I felt my heart snap in two. With that one look, I could tell that Amon had succeeded. As devastated as I felt, I had to stay strong for Korra. _"Sweetie, look at me. We need to get out of here. We have to go to the boats."_

"_Okay."_ She squeaked, standing up. Her knees buckled beneath her like a baby saber-toothed moose. I caught her, leading her away from the scene behind us.

The Lieutenant had been trying to pull Naga off of Amon, but she had turned around and attacked him. I smirked as I heard the snap of a bone breaking.

"_Good girl, Naga."_

* * *

By the time we had finally gotten to the dock, the boat was departing. The ramp was still there, but the ship was quickly making distance. The men on the boat grabbed my arm, hoisting me up and over the railing. Naga, now covered in red splotches of blood, came bolting through the crowd and leapt onto the deck of the boat beside me. I kept my hand firmly clasped around Korra's, but the distance was becoming too large for her to keep hold. She began to slip off of the ramp.

"_Korra!"_ I shouted desperately as I tried harder and harder to keep a hold on her small hand. "_Keep hold of my hand!"_ I begged her. _"Hold on to my hand!"_ Her feet were at the very edge of the ramp, slipping off as the men tried to help me reach her. She looked up at me, her eyes wide and fearful as tears welled in them.

"_Don't let go!"_ She begged me.

Suddenly, Korra slipped from the ramp, almost pulling me overboard as she dangled beneath. Naga let out an anxious bark behind me, trying to alert someone who could help.

"_Korra!"_ I sobbed. "_Hold on!"_

As the men took a firm hold of my coat, I felt her hand slipping through my grip. I begged for them to let go, but they only pulled me back more. All of a sudden, it was too much. I felt Korra's small hand slip out of my own.

I tried to throw myself overboard to get to her, desperate to save her from the stormy ocean waters below. Naga leapt over the railing beside me, crashing into the water and disappearing beneath the surf a moment later. I began sobbing as I tried to part the water with my bending, but failed. My chi was still blocked. I couldn't help her.

"_Korra!"_ I screamed as I scanned the water in a desperate attempt to find her in the rough waves. It was hopeless. Amongst the chaos of the waters, I could not find her. I leaned over the railing, reaching my arm towards the water as if she could reach up and take my hand, my body wracking with sobs. _"__**Korra!**__"_

* * *

So many lives were destroyed that night. What had always been was now gone, forever. And Korra, my sweet, dear Korra…

I never saw her again.

* * *

**A/N: 9 pages. Holy hole in a donut, Batman. I hope this wasn't too long, but I feel the need to set the stage a bit for those who aren't as familiar or who have forgotten the plot of "Anastasia" a bit.**

**Also, forgive me if my writing style is dodgy at best for now; I'm still getting back into the swing of things. Reviews would be lovely!**

_**With Love,**_

_**Trinity**_


	2. The Spark in Caldera

**A/N: I'm so sorry for taking over 2 weeks to update this, but life has been kind of stressful. Someone very dear to me has recently passed away, so I haven't had much time or willpower to make myself write chapter 2. But after a stroke of inspiration, I decided to finish chapter 2. As always, thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! I'm really happy that you're enjoying this!**

**Also, I know that the first chapter was very by the script, but I assure you that was purely for plot development purposes. Gotta lay down the framework, don't we? Hahaha!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own. Can't own. Want to own. Damn.**

* * *

**Chapter Two**

**_The Spark in Caldera_**

* * *

Ten years had passed since the Equalist uprising. What was once a prospering and peaceful country now lay in ruins, its former glory lost beneath a layer of heavy grime and shame. The once shimmering streets of Caldera now looked decrepit; their marvelous golden-trimmed buildings crumbling down from the weight of neglect and overpopulation.

The once proud and awe-inspiring Caldera City was now no more than a festering slum.

Crime ran rampant through the streets where muggings and petty theft were common. The swarm of people traveling to the once-enchanting city after the fall of the benders caused a massive case of overpopulation. Jobs were few, sicknesses was plentiful. Hunger ran rampant through the city, driving those within it to more drastic means in order to simply get by.

The boy weaving throughout the marketplace knew about drastic. He knew better than almost anyone in Caldera what it took to scrape by. He knew how cold and unforgiving the world was. He learned from early on that to get by in this life, you had to fight tooth and nail for any and every scrap you got. But most of all, he learned how absolutely _no one_ played fair.

It was with this in mind that the boy shoved his fists harshly into his pockets, brushing the guilt settling in the pit of his stomach away like the dirt on his shoes. As he bobbed and wove through the thick throng of people, his fingers curled around the two precious items in his pocket; in a place like Caldera, nothing was safe unless it was tight in your hands.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a small lump of red fur skitter by on the ground, dodging the heavy footfalls of pedestrians. A small grin tugged at his lips as he watched his beloved fire ferret nab an apple from a nearby stall, causing the woman working the booth to shout after him. He couldn't help but give a small chuckle as the fire ferret scurried up his leg and onto his shoulders, promptly dropping the apple in his hand.

Taking a bite, he wove his way around the small crowd of people gathered at a fortuneteller's stall. He slowed his pace as he passed it, listening curiously to the quiet banter between the patrons. His green eyes drifted upwards to the sign. It read: "_Madam Wu Fung, Great Granddaughter of the Famous Madam Wu"._

"Madam Wu Fung predicted that the Avatar would return," One old woman whispered to another behind a wrinkled hand. The other woman nodded in agreement.

"That's what I heard as well. You know they say that the Avatar managed to escape the night of the Revolution."

"But how? They said she drowned. People saw. She fell from the boat that she and Avatar Aang's widow tried to escape on. That's why they've been searching the Earth Kingdom so thoroughly for the next incarnation."

A man turned around, overhearing the women's conversation. "What I've heard," He said, "Was that they believe that Avatar Korra is alive. And Lady Katara is so confident in that fact that she's offering ten _million_ gold pieces to anybody who can find her and reunite them."

The boy's grin widened significantly, walking away from the crowd with a new spring in his step. He approached a small decrepit building near the mouth of a dirty alleyway. He rapped three times on the worn wooden door and waited until the view hole slid open. Two moments later, he heard the squeak of the rusted viewport as it opened for the password.

He leaned in close and murmured the correct phrase: "_She will rise again"._ The phrase had been adopted after the revolution as a safe way for benders to identify one another. It referenced their hope that the Avatar would return to bring balance to the world once again.

Acknowledging the correct password, the door swung open to allow him in. Inside of the building were rows and rows of stalls and merchants. The building was considered a black market of sorts; a safe haven for benders and criminals alike.

'_As far as society is concerned,'_ He thought bitterly, _'we might as well be one and the same.'_

As he strolled past a rather attractive woman selling fine silks and jewels _(most likely stolen from inside the abandoned palace,)_ he felt a hand grab him by the crook of his elbow. His eyes widened as he felt himself being yanked backwards, his hand instinctively clutching the three slips of paper in his pocket. He snarled as he turned to face his attacker, only to be met with familiar golden eyes. He instantly relaxed.

"Mako, you scared me!" He huffed, his grip on the treasure lessening.

The man called Mako simply frowned, furrowing his brow in disapproval. "Well if you actually responded when someone called your name, Bolin, I wouldn't have to grab you. Besides, you should be paying more attention to your surroundings to begin with."

Bolin's face slid into an easy-going grin, thrusting his thumb against his chest. "Hey man," He started confidently, "You are talking to _the_ most observant person around. I could put a guard tiger-dog to shame with my awesome observational skills."

Mako lifted a brow, his golden eyes conveying his severe doubt in his younger brother's ramblings. He raised a hand to silence him.

"Yeah, okay Bolin. Now did you get what I asked you to get?"

Bolin's smile widened confidently as he patted his pocket. "_Oh _yeah. Got 'em right here." Green eyes met golden eyes as the brothers exchanged knowing grins. This was it. This was their shot.

As Bolin handed his brother the tickets, he could see the familiar gleam of cautious excitement shimmer in his eyes. When Mako finally had the tickets in his hands, he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Just to make sure that he wasn't imagining it, he held the three scraps of paper up to his eyes to read the deep red ink printed on top of each one.

_**FNS CALDERA LUXURY CRUISELINER-ADMIT ONE**_

Mako's face broke out into the largest grin Bolin had seen him wear since the time his fire ferret, Pabu, had come back home with a small sack of gold coins in his mouth.

"You did it!" Mako laughed, throwing an arm joyfully over his brother's shoulders. He squeezed his arm, causing Bolin to laugh as well. "You really did it, bro!" He held the three ship tickets up towards the ceiling, admiring them. "Three tickets to Republic City. One for you, one for me, and one for Avatar Korra!"

Shoving the tickets into his own pocket, Mako led Bolin through the musty marketplace. Usually the dirty, crowded building made Mako uneasy and irritable, but not at that moment. At that moment, he and Bolin were basking in the knowledge that if their scheme worked, this was the last time they would have to go slumming around in such an unappealing place.

"I'll tell you what, Bo, this plan is perfect."

Bolin nodded. "I know! And best of all, word on the street is that, that Master Katara has raised the reward. It's up to ten _million_ gold pieces!"

Mako stopped flat in his tracks, jaw slacked in shock before he returned to his senses, grinning like a madman.

"Ten _million?_ You've _got_ to be kidding me!" He began laughing. "Bo, we'll be set for _life! _Just think about it: No more having to do odd jobs to make ends meet. No more having to swipe food just to eat! No more freezing cold, run-down buildings. From here on out, Bo, you and I are gonna live like kings!"

The two continued their way through the crowded marketplace until they found the exit. Hastily, they made their way down the dirty streets towards their current abode. Not once in the entire fifteen-minute walk there did Mako let go of the tickets in his pocket.

* * *

The two had recently found a small hole in the wall around the abandoned royal palace while chasing a rabbit-squirrel in the hopes of getting some fresh meat. Curious, they had crawled through the hole and wandered the grounds for a couple of hours until they had discovered the royal bedchambers. Needless to say the small shanty that they had been occupying on the far side of town has been vacant ever since.

Once the two had gotten settled in the parlor room, Mako lit a small fire in the magnificent marble fireplace with a small flick of his finger. The two benders sat in a comfortable silence as they began to warm themselves around the fire. It was late November, and as warm as the Fire Nation was, the winter nights could be brutal.

Mako scowled at the fire. It was winters that he hated most growing up. Winter was associated with some of his most painful memories. Winter was when the revolution happened, wiping out his home and his parents in one fell swoop. Winter was when he and Bolin, then only 6 years old, were cast out onto the streets. Winter was the time when Bolin had caught a terrible flu that almost cost him his life. It was the time of year when Mako and Bolin would lie on the cold, flat ground of whatever shelter they could manage to find, shivering and hungry, thinking about their warm beds at home in the palace and their parents and realizing the painful truth that neither of them existed anymore. They were cold, they were scared, and they were terribly, terribly alone.

Mako once again pulled out the tickets from his pocket, examining them against the warm glow of the fire. He tightened his grip, determination flaring on his features. This plan was going to work. There would be no more nights of shaking on cold floors or nights where they would toss and turn, unable to sleep because of the pain in their empty stomachs. There would be no more struggling to get by, no more fighting for every scrap of food they got. They were going to be rich. They were finally going to make it.

"You okay, Mako?"

Mako was stirred from his thoughts. He sat up from the small nest of pillows he had made in front of the fireplace. He looked over to Bolin, who was seated at a low table, playing with Pabu. He shook his head, trying to clear the grim thoughts from his mind. He shrugged, giving Bolin a half-hearted grin.

"Yeah, Bolin. I'm fine. Just…" He trailed off, his eyes glossing over momentarily.

"Thinking?" Bolin offered.

"Yeah," Mako mumbled. "Thinking."

"You know, you do too much of that."

"So you've told me."

Bolin frowned. "I'm serious, bro. All of this worrying will make you ugly. And let's face it: even if we do become stinking rich, money can only get you so far with the ladies."

Mako rolled his eyes, grinning slightly. "Only you, Bo."

Bolin grinned. "I try. Now seriously, tell me what your super-serious Mako-Mind has been brainstorming. You've been glaring at the fire for like, twenty minutes now."

Mako sighed, lying back down on the pillows. In the back of his mind, he noticed how they weren't as soft as they were back when they were children. The smell of must and smoke embedded in the fabric reminded him of the ferocious fire that consumed almost half of the palace the night of the revolution. He frowned again.

"It's nothing." Mako said darkly before rolling over, refusing to look at his brother. Bolin had a terrible habit of being able to read his eyes and at the moment, Mako didn't feel like being a book. "Just trying to figure out some of the finer details of the plan." He waited for Bolin to call him out on his fib, but luckily the accusation never came.

"Well, that explains it." Bolin said matter-of-factly. "So let's hear it."

Mako rolled over, staring at the large paintings adorning the opposite wall. It was of the former Fire Lord Zuko. His golden eyes seemed to burrow straight into Mako, and it made him shift uncomfortably. He changed his object of focus to a small vase in the corner.

"Well first of all, we need to find a girl."

"Ah," Bolin said. "I can see where this could be a bit of a problem."

Mako sighed. "A bit? Bo, we need to find a water tribe girl in the capital of the Fire Nation. This is gonna be like trying to find a needle in a haystack."

Bolin snapped his fingers, a look of sheer inspiration dawning on his face. "I've got it!" He said. "Why don't we go down to the trading ports? Trade with the water tribe is pretty steady, so we should be able to find _someone._"

Mako grinned. "That's brilliant, Bolin! It may not be the biggest pool to search in, but it's definitely a start. Worse comes to worse, we stow away on one of the boats and go with them down south."

"I hope not," Bolin said, shivering. "I hate the cold."

"So do I, bro. So do I."

The conversation lulled again as each drifted off into their thoughts. Finally, Bolin spoke up again, his tone hesitant.

"Uh, Mako?"

"Hm?"

Bolin paused again, trying to figure out how to word it. "In what way can we…I mean, how are we possibly gonna manage to, you know…get around her being the _Avatar?_"

Mako raised a brow. "What?"

"What I mean is," Bolin grimaced, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. "How are we going to get around the fact that she can't bend all four, if _any_, elements?"

Mako stood up wordlessly, crossing the room to his small satchel. After a moment of digging around in it, he turned to Bolin, holding up the object he had just been searching for.

"Simple. We get around it with _this."_

Bolin looked at the small object in his brother's hand skeptically.

"We're gonna get around it with a whistle."

"Yup."

Bolin raised a brow. "Forgive me for being doubtful, but how is that dinky little thing gonna help us convince the former Avatar's _widow_ that the girl is the Avatar?"

Mako walked over to the table, sitting across from his brother. He held up the whistle to Bolin's face, allowing him to take it into his hands. Bolin ran his fingers up the aged antique, clearly unimpressed by the dings and scratches in its dull white surface. He held the whistle to his lips and gave a firm blow, frowning when no sound came out.

"Mako, this thing doesn't even make any noise!"

Mako snatched it back, glaring at Bolin. "It doesn't have to!" He snapped. "All that matters is when the Avatar's widow sees this, she's gonna think we've brought her the real thing."

Bolin frowned. "But how will a busted old whistle prove anything?"

"Because," Mako grinned, "This whistle was a very important personal possession of Avatar Korra herself. Important enough that she had to run back to her room the night of the revolution to get it because she couldn't leave it behind."

"Woah," Bolin said, his eyes widening. It was clear from his expression that he was now viewing the small animal-shaped whistle in an entirely new light. "How the heck did you get that?"

"The night of the invasion on the palace." Mako replied. "I found it in Korra's room. I remembered it was one of her most cherished possessions. She never went anywhere without it. And if we show this to that woman, she'll believe it's the real-deal."

Bolin sat there, staring at the whistle for a long moment before his face broke out in a large grin. He looked up to Mako, barely able to contain his enthusiasm.

"Mako, we're gonna be rich!" He whispered, his voice growing in volume as he repeated himself. "We're gonna be rich!"

Mako nodded, tucking the bison whistle into his pocket. "You sure as hell know it," He grinned.

The rest of the night was spent with lighthearted, excited chatter. Mako did not allow any more unpleasant memories to distract him from their small victory. Such grim thoughts only seemed to exhaust him, and one thing he certainly was going to need in the next few days was his energy.

After all, they had an Avatar to find.

**A/N: For some reason YouTube isn't letting me post comments, so I just wanted to take a second to tell one of my reviewers, Katary, that I watched your video and I thought it was fantastic! You really did a great job matching clips and characters. I especially loved Megaphone Guy as Bartok. Brilliant! :D**

**Thank you for reading! **

**Love,**

**Trinity**


	3. Memories of Lullabies

**A/N: THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR HOW RIDICULOUSLY LONG IT TOOK ME TO WRITE THIS DAMN CHAPTER. I AM GROVELING ON MY KNEES TO BEG FOR YOUR FORGIVENESS. The real world sucks. I actually have to do work and such. Blegh.**

**Anywho, I really hope that you all enjoy this chapter. It was rather fun to write!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own. Can't own. Want to own. Damn.**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

_**Memories of Lullabies**_

* * *

Exotic animals were no special sight at the Caldera Docks. Crates and cages of every size arrived almost regularly from all corners of the globe. Saber-tooth moose from the Earth Kingdom, flying ring-tailed lemurs from the ruins of the Air Temples, even the occasional Platypus Bear. So a fully-grown polar bear-dog showing up on a ship was nothing particularly noteworthy. What was garnering people's attention, however, was that not only was the polar bear-dog roaming about freely on the docks, but that a young woman was _riding_ it.

The girl looked to be about eighteen with long, mocha brown hair pulled into a high ponytail. She had deep, rich caramel skin and luminous aqua eyes that seemed to find even the cracks in the sidewalks fascinating. She was a magnificent example of a beautiful water tribe woman. The odd thing was, however, was that she was dressed in the rich reds of the Fire Nation as opposed to the deep blues of her heritage.

People gave her curious and weary looks as she and her mount made their way down the ramp from the ship that had just docked in the harbor. She gave an excited look-around at the hustle and bustle of the docks, nodding once in approval. After a moment of feigned maturity, she thrust a fist in the air and gave a hearty "Woohoo!" Her polar bear-dog gave a loud bark, as if to agree with her. She giggled, patting the large beast on the top of her head.

"We did it, Naga! We finally made it!"

Her bright eyes scanned her surroundings eagerly, trying to take in the rather pleasant chaos around her. The sounds of the waves crashing below the docks was a much-welcomed comfort to the overwhelming number of sounds flooding her hearing. After being on a boat for a week with only about fifty other people, suddenly being thrust into an enormous social hub with an additional three or four hundred people posed as a bit of a challenge to get used to. Having a steady rhythm to keep her on track was helpful in calming her sudden nerves. While she was excited to finally have made it to Caldera City, she could not help but feel a bit anxious being in such a large and populous place. Nevertheless, she plastered a large grin on her face, determined to find what she came for amongst the massive throngs of people.

Despite the sheer size of Naga, the people remained relatively packed together as they tried to walk around through the busy docks. She squinted against the bright sun of mid-morning as she tried to search for the ticket booth. Unfortunately amidst the cheerful chaos of the docks, she was unable to spot anything resembling such. She frowned, turning to her loyal companion who was waiting eagerly for her command. She patted Naga's head.

"Come on, girl. We'd better start asking people where to find the stupid thing."

* * *

"See anybody, Bo?"

Bolin squinted, his hand shielding his eyes as he scanned the crowd for any woman that fit the physical criteria. He looked down to Mako and shook his head.

"Negatory, bro. So far the only Water Tribe citizens I see are dudes."

Mako sighed audibly, rubbing his eyes as best as he could with Bolin sitting on his shoulders. "Great," He mumbled. "Just great."

The brothers had been out scouring the docks for a suitable-looking actress to play the Avatar since early that morning. So far, however, their efforts had been in vain. Bolin wiggled off of Mako's shoulders, landing heavily on his feet. Pabu scuttled up his pants leg and onto his shoulder where he rubbed his furry face against his cheek affectionately. Bolin smiled a little, scratching Pabu's head with a finger.

"Thanks for trying to cheer me up, little buddy." He said gratefully. Mako let out another sigh as he watched Bolin play with his fire ferret. He knew that it was only the first day of their search, but Mako couldn't help but feel like they were on a tight schedule. Poverty was no longer just an issue in Caldera City. It was spreading across the continents like a disease on the air, a global pandemic that was killing people with hunger and exposure rather than with sickness. With a reward like ten million gold pieces, there was bound to be some heavy competition.

"Come on, Bolin. Let's try and wander through the crowd. Maybe we'll find someone further in."

Walking into the crowd, Mako became quickly jostled by the rush of morning patrons. He stepped too far to the side and ended up colliding with someone's shoulder. He heard a faint protest from the woman, but he didn't pay her any mind. After all, he had more pressing matters to attend to than dealing with some self-righteous girl.

* * *

She scanned around the docks for a friendly-enough looking face to approach for directions. Finally she had spotted a kindly looking older woman standing by a booth. Eagerly, she approached her and asked for some sort of idea where the ticket booth was to purchase a pass for a ship to Republic City.

The old woman frowned, pondering for a moment the directions. She stroked her chin thoughtfully before pointing east towards the edge of town.

"You should be able to find it right over there," The woman said. She smiled before bowing slightly.

"Thank you so much! You're a huge help—"

Suddenly, someone walked into her, bumping her shoulder and setting her slightly off balance. She looked over her shoulder, glaring at the man who had knocked into her. "Excuse you, rude!" She snipped. When the man made no signs of acknowledging that he had even heard her, she turned back around, mumbling under her breath in an annoyed fashion.

"Not only is he rude, he has no common sense. Why would anybody wear a scarf in such a warm country?"

* * *

After about an hour of bumping and shoving her way through the thick crowd, she was able to vaguely spot a straggly-looking set of booths lined up in the middle of a seemingly endless line of disgruntled people that swerved and zagged in every direction visible. She frowned, blowing a stray strand of hair out of her face.

Twenty minutes passed until she was able to find the end of the line. When informed that she was to wait about an hour in line, she grit her teeth. Naga tried her best to cheer up the girl with an encouraging prod of her snout against the worn cotton of her shirt. She gave a small smile, patting the large beast on the head.

"I know, I've waited ten years for this moment. I guess an hour more won't kill me."

With begrudging acceptance, the girl stood in line for a bit over an hour before she finally heard a deep, raspy voice call out the words that she had been waiting to hear:

"Next in line, please."

She ran to the booth with more enthusiasm than necessary, and was met with a somewhat cynical expression by the woman in the booth. She looked to be in her late fifties. She was a stoutly woman with dark gray hair and a rather unflattering mole on her cheek. She looked rather bored-borderline-hostile as she approached the booth.

"One ticket to Republic City, please." The girl asked merrily. The woman blinked, completely bored, before letting out a sigh and responding.

"There aren't any cargo ships heading to Republic City from Caldera for another three months. Come back two weeks before then to reserve tickets."

The girl paused before chuckling awkwardly. The woman stared at her, her expression never wavering. "You misunderstood me," She insisted. "I'd like a ticket for the cruiseliner leaving in three days."

"Oh, my apologies," The woman said monotonously. "I thought that you were bringing your…_pet_ with you." She jerked a thumb at Naga who was sitting behind her. The girl looked over her shoulder at the rather large polarbear-dog.

"Well, yes I am."

"Well then. No pets allowed on the Cruiseliner! _Next!"_

"What?" She demanded, slamming a fist on the counter. "That's not fair!"

"No pets, no ticket!" The woman sneered, slamming the shutters of the booth closed. The big red characters for "_Closed, next window please_" stared at her mockingly through the glass. She snorted, upset.

"Old hag," She mumbled, kicking at the ground in a defeated manner.

"Why, hello there, missy! You look like you're in a bit of a pickle."

She turned around to see a rather cheerful-looking man behind her, waving rather enthusiastically in greeting. She cocked a brow, examining him. He was dressed in rags with a long, unkempt grey beard and wild grey hair. A piece of hay hung between his lips, which were pulled into a broad grin.

"A bit, yeah." She replied. He approached her, shaking his head and clicking his tongue.

"Sorry you had to get that one. She's nastier than a saber-tooth moose. So where you heading?"

"Republic City."

The old man stroked his beard thoughtfully, looking her up and down. She shifted a little under his gaze. After a moment, he snapped his fingers, a bright grin on his face.

"I know just who you need to see!"

She paused, the curiosity getting the better of her. "And who might that be?"

"Go see Mako. He's in the Imperial Palace."

"The palace?"

"Yeah. You know, big shiny building on the top of the hill?"

He thrust a finger in the general direction of it, and sure enough after a moment she was able to spot it peeking out through the crippled peaks at the top of the volcano. It was a rather looming figure, seemingly doused in shadows regardless of the bright sunlight that morning. Something akin to familiarity rang through her mind, but she shrugged it off.

"Mako, huh?" She murmured, turning back around.

The old man nodded, swirling the hay straw around his lips. "That's the one. But you didn't hear it from me!"

She grinned. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. Thanks for all your help!"

He gave a rather exaggerated bow. "At your service, Miss…"

She smiled, shaking his hand. "Just call me Kya."

* * *

"Well, that was a total bust."

Mako frowned at his brother. "Thank you, Bo. Like I wasn't already painfully aware of that." He gave a low sigh, running a hand through his dark locks. They had spent literally all morning and most of the afternoon wandering up and down the docks, but with no such luck as to finding a girl who fit the part enough to pull it off. "We got absolutely no leads."

Bolin frowned as well, sinking down onto the floor of the parlor. He flopped into the nest of pillows that Mako had left from the previous night. Pabu skittered over to him, curling up next to his arm so Bolin could scratch behind his ears.

"I wouldn't say that it was all that bad. At least we covered some ground."

"Yeah, but the ground we covered was the ground we were banking on finding someone in. And even then, that was a million-to-one chance that we would find a girl who looked enough like her wandering around." He sighed again. "I mean, it's not like she's just gonna show up out of nowhere. With our luck, we're gonna have to end up trading these tickets in for two to the north or south poles."

Bo shuttered. "Man, I hate the cold! Why can't the Water Tribes live somewhere nice, like a tropical island?"

Mako fell heavily on the couch in the far corner of the room, thrusting a fist towards the fireplace. "You're telling me, bro. I'm getting sick of the cold. For the Fire Nation, it's been pretty cold for winter." The room was basked in a warm glow. Boling absentmindedly hummed in contentment as the room began to warm up. After a while, the two fell into a thoughtful silence, both consumed with the thought of how they were ever going to find someone to play the Avatar.

* * *

By the time the girl was able to reach the palace, it was already the late afternoon. It felt later, however, as the sky became overcast. A light drizzle began to rain down as she approached the wall. Kya took a moment to bask in the cool relief; after hiking up a mountain to reach the inner city, she felt hot and tired.

Finally spotting the magnificent peaks of the palace over the wall, she quickly searched around the perimeter for a way to get over it. The gates were rusted shut, and they were too tall to climb. She blew a hair out of her face in frustration as she figured that there was no way to get inside.

"Well, this is the last time I take advice from a hobo." Kya grunted. "I can't even get into the palace!"

Naga groaned as well, but more so to get her master's attention. She began to sniff the air curiously. Kya eyed her polarbear-dog, cocking a brow. Naga swirled around and began sniffing around her shoulder before running off towards a large number of bushes. Confused, she chased Naga into the brush.

"Naga," She snapped. "I swear, if you saw another squirrel-cat…"

But her threat caught in her throat as she found Naga sitting by a rather large hole in the wall. She grinned and patted her pet on the head and she let out a happy bark.

"Good girl, Naga."

* * *

Mako shot straight up, looking around the dim room. It was now early evening, the storm brewing outside casting shadows along the high walls. The subtle sound of raindrops pattering against the windows mixed with the low crackles and pops of the fire's embers. Bolin's soft snoring drifted lazily among these sounds, calming Mako's nerves a bit. However, he couldn't help but shake the feeling that something was off.

He stood up, prodding Bolin. "Bo," He whispered. A small grunt and a loud snore was his response. Mako shook him harder this time. "Bolin, wake up!"

"Hm? Wha-?" Bolin grumbled, rubbing his eyes with his fists like a child. "Mako? What's going on?"

Mako knelt down beside his brother. "I thought I heard something. I don't know, though. Something just doesn't feel right. Did you hear anything?"

Bolin stared off into space for a moment before answering. "I'm sorry, I didn't get a word of that. What?" Mako slapped his forehead.

"Right. Stupid question." He groaned. "Either way, get up. Something isn't right and I think we should do a quick lap to check it out."

Bolin groaned, rolling over. He grabbed a pillow and snuggled against it. "Come on, dude. It was probably the storm." Bolin let out a long yawn before shutting his eyes. "Just go to sleep."

Mako frowned and shook him again. Bolin sat up, grimacing.

"Alright, alright! I'm up! Jeez…what did you even hear that has you so worked up?"

"I'm not sure. It sounded like…like….do you remember when that traveling circus came when we were little?"

Bolin scratched his head. "…Yeah, and?"

Mako furrowed his brow, as if unsure himself. "Well, you remember what that polarbear-dog sounded like?"

* * *

Kya easily shimmied through the hole and into the rather large courtyard. The hole was easily big enough to fit someone twice her size, so it was not particularly uncomfortable to crawl under the six-foot thick wall. However, she could not deny that she let out a small sigh of relief when she emerged on the other side. After all, being crushed beneath the rubble of a wall built hundreds of years ago did not seem like a pleasurable way to die.

She looked around, brushing the dirt off of her dark red pants. She was in a garden of some sort, but had she not known any better she would have thought that she had wandered into a jungle. Even after years of neglect, the plants were thriving. Trees were overgrown and cast deep shadows across the gnarled pathways. Weeds and ivy crept across the intricate masonry of the walkways, the grass overgrown to the point where she was sure she could lie down in it and disappear. The thick scent of fire lilies and other exotic flora perfumed the air, and it made her feel lightheaded. A perfect example of the fertility of volcanic soil.

"Woah," Kya murmured, her celeste eyes wandering around the impressive garden. The odd sense of nostalgia came upon her once again as she spotted a small koi pond. The water was dirtied with algae, but for some reason she was able to clearly imagine it with crystalline water, brightly colored koi fish, and several baby turtleducks swimming about lazily as a child threw breadcrumbs towards them. The image was so vivid in her mind that it was startling. Shaking her head, she made her way over to the looming archways of the palace entrances.

Stepping into the palace was worse than staring at the koi pond. A rush of nostalgia overcame Kya as she looked around, confusing her because as far as she knew this was the first time she had ever seen the Imperial Palace of the Fire Nation. She walked slowly down the corridor, the pillars leading out to the garden casting tall shadows against the dark grey of the storm. She wasn't sure if it was the swift breeze from the open hallways that gave her goosebumps or the sensation that she instinctively knew things that she shouldn't.

She wandered around the dark hallways until she felt like she had been walking for miles. Instinctually, she took a sharp right turn that veered off into a thin hallway that had a balcony attached to it. Kya walked up to it, brushing her hands along the smooth marble of the railing. It was cool beneath her fingertips as she looked out at the large square below. It looked like it could hold a couple thousand people if a reason for such a gathering ever presented itself. As she looked around the square, the sound of cheering rang in her ears. They sounded distant and faint, like an echo. Shaking her head, she turned around and hurried inside.

First the vivid images of the koi pond, and now she was hearing voices of people who weren't there. The entire palace unsettled her, and she hurried her pace to find the hole to escape. Such an overwhelming sense of familiarity startled her. However, as she rounded a corner, her eyes settled upon a rather large set of double doors. Kya paused, as if debating whether she should go find Naga or if she should follow the odd sensation in her gut that wanted her to look behind those doors.

Approaching it, she admired the intricate detail. The doors were at least ten feet tall, carved from dark mahogany. Ornate designs of dragons and flames were etched into the panels on the door, brushed with gold. Even under the thick layer of dust that covered the marvelous works of art, the gold shimmered brilliantly beneath her gaze. Pulling the door open, Kya expected it to be heavier than they were. Even after what seemed to be years of no use, the doors swung over with nothing more than a low groan.

Inside was a ballroom. The room was wide and filled with windows and paintings on either wall, depicting what Kya assumed were important figures in Fire Nation history. She recognized a good portion of the faces from the books they made her read in school as a child. Her attention drifted towards the back of the room where two thrones were set atop a large platform. Behind the thrones, however, there was a large portrait of five figures that were dressed in clothing that were distinctly from other nations. Her curiosity was piqued, seeing as there were no other paintings anywhere in the palace that she had seen that depicted anyone outside of the Fire Nation.

The only figure in Fire Nation clothing had very regal features and wore the crown of the Fire Lord. He was rather handsome, but the peculiar thing was that he had a rather large scar marring the left side of his face. Oddly, it did not detract from his otherwise attractive looks. Adding to the strangeness of the painting was that while he was obviously a Fire Lord, he was not placed in the center of the portrait but rather off to the left-hand side.

To the Fire Lord's right stood a tall young man with wide, childlike eyes. He had a bald scalp with tattoos of blue arrows, and wore the ceremonial yellow and orange robes of the legendary Air Nomads. He wore a beaded necklace around his neck, signifying his stature. While he had a stoic face, you could see the light of childish mischief reflected in his grey orbs.

To his right stood a man of Water Tribe descent, given away easily by his deeply tanned skin and azure eyes. His hair was pulled back into a wolfstail, a single braid dangling by his face. He too had a more regal expression, but it seemed rather forced; as if he were trying not to smirk. His broad shoulders gave him an air of confidence, and much like the monk to his right, his eyes gave away his intelligence and cheerful disposition.

Sitting in front of him was a smaller woman with fair skin and rich black hair that was piled high upon her head. She was in a rich green dress that was customary style for high-class women of the Earth Kingdom decades ago. Her features were regal and pretty, but nothing about her seemed delicate or fragile. The corner of her mouth was pulled up slightly into a small smirk, her milky white eyes seeming startlingly perceptive for someone who could not see.

Beside the blind Earth Kingdom woman sat another woman, this one from the Water Tribe. She bore a striking resemblance to the Water Tribesman pictured over her shoulder; Kya assumed that they were siblings. Her skin was a dusty brown and her hair was a rich shade of mocha, its curls cascaded down her back like a waterfall. She, like the other man, was dressed in what she assumed was formalwear for Water Tribeswomen. The rich blues of the fabric made her azure eyes seem to come to life. There was something hanging from her neck, but the furs on her collar seemed to obscure part of it.

Kya's eyes widened as a deep ache welled in her chest. Her throat constricted with an unreasonable sense of pain as tears began to prickle in the corners of her eyes. Something about this woman's gentle smile brought her memories of laughter and sweet words and lullabies that would swim in her mind every night even though she had no recollection of anyone ever singing them. She lifted her hand to her throat while reaching towards the woman in the painting. Her fingers brushed against the obscured object on the woman's neck and she squeezed her own pendant.

"Who are you?" She whispered, fingers trembling.

"I could ask you the same question,"

Kya whirled around, eyes wide in surprise at the sudden company. Standing behind her were two young men, both about her age. They had the same pale skin that graced all fire nation citizens but instead of the dull amber eyes of most, their eyes were the incandescent shades of green and gold that marked them as benders. She sucked in a sharp breath.

"You're benders," She said in a breathy voice.

"And you're trespassing. _Leave_." Said the one with the golden eyes. His face was stern, all hard shapes and sharp angles. A thought drifted briefly though her mind that he might be handsome if he weren't scowling.

Her eyes narrowed, her defiant nature bubbling to the surface. Her common sense was telling her that she shouldn't challenge them; that she couldn't take on two benders if things should go bad. However, Kya couldn't seem to simply concede without some sort of a fight.

"Trespassing? And what do you call what _you're_ doing?" Kya challenged. The boy with the golden eyes took in a sharp, frustrated breath—Kya saw sparks dance along his fingertips—before speaking.

"That's none of your concern. Now _get out_."

Kya and the boy glared fiercely at each other, their stares unwavering until Kya noticed the other boy was staring at her quite intently. She broke their glaring contest to turn her attack on him.

"And what are _you_ staring at, pretty boy?" She sniped.

The green-eyed boy jumped a bit, a small blush dusting his rounded cheeks. He scratched his head bashfully, looking towards the taller boy.

"Sorry! It's just that…erm, Mako…"

Kya's brows lifted, pointing a finger at the firebender. "Wait, so _you're _Mako?"

Mako turned back to her, narrowing his eyes sharply. "How do you know who I am?" He demanded.

"Um, Mako…"

"Some hobo by the docks told me that I had to come see some guy named Mako who was shacking up in the Imperial Palace!"

"Mako, bro—"

Mako slapped his forehead. "Oh that guy? Jeez, that's the last time I tell him anything!"

"_Mako!_"

"_What, _Bolin?" Mako snapped. "Can't you see that I'm in the middle of something, here?"

Bolin half-smiled as he pointed to the painting behind Kya. "Yeah, but I think that you might wanna be involved in _this_ a bit more."

Mako's jaw clenched shut as he followed Bolin's finger. He didn't realize it at first, but then the subtle resemblances became rather apparent. She had the same exotic coloring as the woman in the portrait. Mako's eyes widened as her heritage became apparent in the dimly lit room. He suddenly noticed how brightly her blue eyes shone, and he felt compelled to ask her if she had the same gift that he and his brother possessed.

Most of all, however, was the similarities between her and the Airbender depicted behind her. The likeness was subtle, almost completely dismissive if one was not looking for them. But the glimmer in their eyes was identical. It was something ancient, something eternal, and something that made Mako's heart thrum in his chest.

"_Now_ what are you staring at?" Kya snapped, putting her hands on her hips "Is there something on my face, or am I just that amusing to look at?"

Mako suddenly approached her, a fire that she couldn't describe blazing in his golden orbs. Her eyes widened in shock and she took a step back, but he stopped about a foot away from her. She eyed him suspiciously as he circled her like a bird of prey.

"Hey, why are you circling me? What, what were you, a vulture-hawk in another life?" She snapped, waving her arms as she stepped away from him. He did not advance further, however he turned to his brother with a smirk that showed her that he either wasn't paying attention to what she was saying, or he ignored it.

"Bolin, do you see what I see?"

Bolin walked over to her as well, grinning like a madman. "Oh-ho-ho, you bet I do, bro. You bet I do!"

Kya raised a brow. "Well, if you're done gawking at me, I was wondering if you can help me get to Republic City?"

Mako's brows shot up as he cast an excited glance towards Bolin. "Republic City, huh? And why might you be interested in going there?"

Kya's hand circled the pendant at her throat instinctively. "Well, I'm looking for my family."

"Your family, okay. So what's your name, anyway?"

"It's Kya."

"Kya..?" Mako said, waving with his hand to tell her to elaborate. "What's your last name?"

She shrugged. "This is gonna sound really strange, but I actually have no clue what my last name is." Kya stopped, squeezing her pendant. She closed her eyes and sighed, trying to figure out how to explain. "I have no real memory of my past. Someone found me washed up on a beach when I was eight, and since then I can't remember a thing. All that I have as a hint of who I am is this pendant and the memory of a voice I can't remember telling me that they'll be in Republic City."

Mako's grin widened, which made Kya feel angry. "What?" She snapped, "You think that's funny?"

"No! No, not at all. It's just that you look an awful lot like, well…nevermind. But so you really have no clue about your life before you were eight?"

Kya shook her head. "Not really, no. The only hint I possibly have is my necklace and Republic City."

Bolin grinned, pulling two tickets out of his pocket. "Well what a coincidence, then. Mako and I are heading to Republic City ourselves, and we _just_ so happen to have 3 tickets." Kya's eyes lit up as she went to snatch one from his hands, but he pulled them away. "However, the third and _only _ticket we have is reserved for Avatar Korra."

"Korra?" Kya asked. "I thought she was dead."

Mako shook his head. "Not according to the rumors. And Master Katara doesn't think so either. So we're going to bring Avatar Korra to her and reunite them in Republic City." He met her blue eyes and she felt herself blush slightly at how piercing they seemed. "In fact, you actually kind of look like her."

"I do?"

"Yeah! Show her the photo, Bo."

Bolin dug in his shirt and pulled out a folded, yellowed piece of paper. Unfolding it, he handed the paper to Kya. Her eyes widened as she examined the little girl in the photograph. She couldn't have been more than six or so when the photo was taken, but the resemblance was irrefutable. A tinge of familiarity rang like a bell in her head, but she shook it off.

"So what, you think that _I _could be the Avatar?"

Bolin and Mako nodded, their grins stretching farther the longer she stared at the portrait. "Why not?" Mako added. "Your eyes are the exact shape, your lips, your nose, your cheeks, even your _hands_!"

"I can't even bend!" She exclaimed.

Bolin shrugged. "Hey, you never know. You can't remember what happened before you were eight, and the equalists got a good number of benders during the revolution, children included."

"And you said the only clue you have to your family is Republic City, and the only family that Avatar Korra has left is in Republic City. Seriously, what are the odds of that?"

Kya put a hand to her head and let out a deep sigh, disbelieving what she was hearing. "So you're saying that you think that I might be the most recent incarnation of an ancient spirit that is destined to learn the elements and bring balance to the world?"

"Basically," Bolin shrugged, his easy-going grin plastered to his face as he swung an arm over her shoulders. "So, what do you say, Kya?"

"Well, I don't know! It's kind of hard to think of yourself as anything special after ten years of not even knowing where you came from." Kya glanced between the painting of the woman and the small photograph in her hands. "But yeah, I guess every lonely little kid wishes to be someone extraordinary."

"And who's more extraordinary than the Avatar?" Bolin offered.

"Come on, Korra. This is your chance to find out where you came from. This is a chance to find people who love you." Mako said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "This is a chance to find out who you are."

Kya paused, contemplating her decision. Mako and Bolin slid their arm and hand off of her shoulders, turning to walk away. "Come on, Bo. If she's not interested, she's not interested."

As they walked towards the door, Bolin rushed to his brother's side, casting a quick glance backwards before whispering harshly to Mako. "Are you crazy?" He hissed behind his hand. "She's perfect! We're never gonna find someone this good for the part if we looked for a million—"

"Shut up, Bo. Just wait a couple seconds." Mako grinned, holding up three fingers. "Trust me. Three, two, one…"

"So when would we leave?"

Mako tried to hide his excitement as he turned to Bolin, who was smiling like he had just won the lottery. "This is why you need to listen to me more."

* * *

**A/N: Again, many apologies for taking so long to update. I hope that this was able to make up for it! As always, please review! It inspires me to write!**

**All the best,**

**-**_**Trinity**_


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